Hook, Line, and Sinker.

Sweet and Sour Holiday Brisket

I’ve probably mentioned before that this blog was founded on a faulty premise. See… in my research I’ve discovered that guys aren’t that into sweets. I could bake the most delicious brownies (I do!), spend all day churning my own ice cream, or build the most ridiculous triple-layer cake (remember this one from Valentine’s Day??), but in the end, all a guy really wants is some meat and potatoes.

Well the dinner I made tonight would have been the perfect meal to reward a dude who shoveled my car out of the snow and ice we got yesterday in Boston. Since no one did that, I have 5 lbs of brisket to enjoy throughout this week. And they say that brisket is always better the 2nd day…so anyone that cares to come by tomorrow and shovel out my car….this meal could be yours!

Season the meat generously on both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Whisk all the remaining ingredients together in a medium bowl.

To make brisket in a slow-cooker: Place meat in slow-cooker, pour sauce over it, and set it to cook on low setting for 10 hours.

To make in the oven: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the meat in a baking dish or Dutch oven, and pour sauce over it. Cover tightly with foil or a tight-fitting lid. Bake for three hours, until tender enough to pull apart with a fork.

When the brisket is cooked but still hot, use a spoon to scrape off any large fat deposits around the edges of the meat. If you’re using a slow-cooker, transfer the brisket and all of its sauce to a baking dish. If you’ve baked it in the oven, you can continue in that same dish. Chill the entire dish in the fridge for several hours and up to one day; this resting time will enhance the flavor and texture of the meat. An hour before you are ready to serve it, preheat your oven to 300 degrees, and then remove the dish from the fridge. For a less oily final dish, you can remove all the fat that has solidified with a slotted spoon.

To serve, carefully remove the meat from its sauce, and place on a large cutting board. Cut the brisket into 1/4-to-1/2-inch slices, and carefully place the sliced meat (moving it in large sections with a spatula helps keep it together) back into the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the meat. Replace the lid, and reheat in the oven until bubbling at the edge. Serve immediately.

Note that this dish can be made over a day in advance. the leftovers, kept submerged in the sauce, reheat extremely well. Brisket is always best on the second day!